Rectitude
by Ghene
Summary: With both Terra and Robin having fallen to Slade's side, the remaining Titans are desperate to find a way to destroy their enemy and get back their friends, no matter what the cost. SLASH SladexRobin, SpeedyxRobin, BeastBoyxTerra
1. Cross Out These Days

**Disclaimer:** Anything mentioned in this story that is also mentioned in the TV series 'Teen Titans' is not mine, so don't sue, because I have issues parting with the five dollars I have to my name

**Notes: **Just fixed up this fic! So hopefully it's better than it was!  
**Pimpage:** Please check out the Prequel to this fic! _The Rain Goes On_  
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This fic is an AU where Apprentice and Aftershock never happened.**

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**Rectitude  
****Prologue**

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When Robin moved, it was with a natural grace. He maneuvered with an agility and swiftness that could only be achieved from being born of two acrobats. He could melt into the shadows and slither on the floor. The targets never had a chance to scream. Never knew what hit them. Robin's cunning made him out to be the best kind of assassin. 

Raven frowned and sat back in her chair, rewinding the surveillance tape she was inspecting.

It also made Robin the worst kind of enemy. His name had become something to mislead the unsuspecting in portraying such a weak and clumsy bird. He was more like a falcon, or a hawk, if anything. Severe and cold – emotionless as he took out his prey. His new and improved birdarang, deadly blades lining the edges, would act like sharp claws and slice through his victims' necks before they could even register the attack.

Raven sighed and played the video again. Everything was quiet on screen.

Starfire blamed herself for Robin's betrayal. She had been to the future, and though the Titans had fallen apart and Robin's alias had changed, he had still been on the side of good. Raven caught Star talking to herself sometimes, arguing that if she had just stayed in the future, Robin would still be… Robin.

Cyborg took the more realistic approach and blamed Slade all the way through. Slade had stolen his best friend and the person he looked at as a brother. Sometimes he scolded himself for not seeing the signs of Robin drifting away from them, or for passing them off as nothing when he finally did notice, but for the most part, he never felt self-pity. Raven was

proud of him for that.

Beast Boy spent his days and nights curled up in dog form, whimpering pitifully in the hallway between Robin's room and what used to be Terra's. He still hadn't gotten over the blonde's betrayal, and Robin's was like pouring salt into a gaping wound. Whenever he was approached by one of the other Titans, he would withdraw in fear. Starfire didn't understand, but Cyborg and Raven both knew it was because he was afraid of getting hurt again. In Beast Boy's mind - in everyone's mind even if they didn't want to admit it - if Robin, the leader, the strongest, the most righteous of them all, could fall into the dark side, then what was stopping the rest of them from following? Beast Boy's two closest friends had left him and betrayed him; he was thoroughly broken. Broken and forever mistrustful of the other Titans who remained – almost as if he were expecting them to run off to Slade at any given moment.

It had been Cyborg's idea. The tape. They would find where Slade's next target was and leave a video bug there to catch the deaths of anyone who came in Robin's way. It would then attach itself to Robin and record as much about Slade as possible once Robin returned to the lair. The plan had worked perfectly until had Slade found the bug. He'd moved the camera to a shelf where it could span the entire room and then proceeded to mock them by throwing Robin on the floor and showing them just how willing Robin had been to join his side.

Raven felt nauseas as she watched the scene, but a splash of gold at the top corner of the screen made her pause. Pressing the rewind button, she played it back until she found what she was looking for.

Peeking in on the action was a pair of narrowed blue eyes burning a vicious hole through Robin. They watched for a few moments, before abruptly turning and walking away, a mane of yellow hair following.

Why did Terra look so angry? Did she like Robin? Raven frowned. Way to kick a guy when he's down. She didn't think Beast Boy would be able to handle it if he found out that his two best friends, two people that she knew he had been in love with at least at some point, ended up together after breaking his heart. But that idea, Terra liking Robin, just didn't fit…. In fact, Raven got the strange suspicion that it was the exact opposite of the truth.

Thinking back to the last time they fought with Slade, Robin, and Terra, Raven tried to concentrate on the interaction between the latter two. She remembered the cocky smirk Robin had thrown at the blonde, and the growl Terra had bounced back with. It seemed as if they were almost trying to best each other, and Robin, of course, had been winning. When played back in Raven's mind, the two apprentices' relationships seemed almost like an older brother and younger sister trying to compete for their parent's love.

Raven froze.

For _Slade's_ love.

She quickly powered up every monitor in the surveillance room and played a different video in each one. They'd taken to recording almost every fight they had with Slade, desperate to find a weakness. They'd figured out long ago that Slade was much too smart to organize an attack on. The masked man would know weeks before the execution date and only let on that he was aware of the plans the day of implementation. They needed a weakness to aid them in his seemingly impossible defeat.

Raven watched quietly as in every monitor Robin fought tirelessly, Terra watched on jealously, and Slade's eyes followed Robin's every move. Not once did Slade even glace at Terra – not even when she had thrown Starfire at least a block away from the force with which her rocks had hit the redhead.

And suddenly Raven knew. Robin was Slade's weakness. She narrowed her eyes as Terra did all but take off her clothes to get Slade's attention, the older man ceaseing to realize her existence. It gave Raven an idea.

She kept her eyes on Terra as she reached for her communicator. Her plan was against her character, low, and deceitful.

And it just might work.

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TBC

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	2. Stories So Beautiful

**KamirineGoddess:** Thank you for the compliments! And yes, that was only the prologue so it was meant to be short… but this chapter and the next ones are longer!

**YAY:** I'm sorry about the rating! I didn't realize I had forgotten to set it at 'R', the correct rating until you mentioned it, so thanks! And thanks a lot for the compliment about the plot :D However, the pairings are NOT going to change. I don't want to sound mean or rude (but it's a major pet peeve when people try to tell me how to write _my_ story), but I'm not going to change the pairing just because one person doesn't enjoy it. You don't have to read it if you don't like the pairing. On the other side of that argument, these pairings are the ones (and probably only ones) I like in this fandom. So I'm not going to write a story with a pairing I don't like.

**DelofDani**: Hehe, thanks! Personally I was killing myself because I thought, in my opinion, it wasn't as well written and detailed as it could have been. So that makes me feel better :D

**Mistress of Dragons**: Yes! 'Perspective'! That's actually what inspired me to write this XD – And I look forward to 'Endgame' :) And thank you for the lovely review!

**Raven-Fieryblack**: I've inspired an author to write slash! I can now say my life had meaning XD – And thank you for the review… I, myself, hope it ends up good as well XD

**Disclaimer**: Don't own anything but my own original ideas

**Everyone go check out the Prequel to this, "The Rain Goes On" for it to make more sense :)  
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**Rectitude  
****Chapter One**

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"One minute on the dot. Beat that." Robin smirked as he stretched and dusted himself off, looking over his shoulder at the mock battlefield Slade had set up for them in order to help hone their skills. The ray guns and mechanical enemies carefully repaired themselves and slid back into their hiding places. 

Terra rolled her eyes and gave Robin a nasty look, stepping up to what they had dubbed 'The Starting Line.'

"Watch me," she hissed, digging her fist into the ground and getting into a launching position. Robin left the simulation and stepped up to the control panel behind a glass wall, entering in the program code. He pursed his lips together and pressed the green 'start' button, never missing a beat as he braced himself against a metal column and held his ground as Terra took off, the earth shaking in her wake.

"Time." It was a demand, not a question. Robin glanced over his shoulder at the figure in the shadows, before returning his gaze to Terra.

"One point zero," he said smugly. He heard the footsteps approaching him and closed his eyes.

"And the girl's?"

Robin opened his eyes again and glanced at the timer in the corner.

"One-twenty-eight so far."

"She's lacking."

Robin nodded and rested his hand against the difficulty lever, planning on moving it from 'normal' to 'easy', when a pair of rough hands grabbed him around his waist and pushed him against the console.

"My pretty little bird. You weren't going to help her, were you?"

"No," Robin lied, trying to concentrate on Terra's work.

"What was your hand doing there then?" The voice sounded patronizing and knowing. Casting his gaze downward, Robin put his hand back on the handle.

"Making it harder." Robin felt a larger hand cover his own and help him push the level up to 'difficult.'

"That's a good little bird."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Terra's eyes widened as she narrowly missed a disc being thrown at her at a speed she was sure the program wasn't set for. Lasers shot at her from more directions than she remembered existed, and she barely had time to jump before a boulder crushed anything that was lying in the spot she had just been standing in.

Coughing from the dust particles surrounding her, Terra turned a frustrated gaze towards the control panel. When all she could see was Robin's back against a slightly foggy glass wall, she nearly lost her balance from the force with which the ground was shaking.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"What the hell was that about?" Terra cried, aiming a jagged rock directly at Robin's head. The Boy Wonder easily dodged the attack and cocked an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about?"

"You," Terra lifted a rock off the ground and flung it at Robin, "know," another rock took flight, "what," and another with every word that came from her mouth, "I'm, talking, about."

Robin was on the ground by the time the blonde had finished, looking at her as if he didn't know whether to be amused or petrified. He was vaguely reminded of a redheaded girl, where he would also be torn between hilarity and fear when she was angry, but he couldn't quite place the face or the strange feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he thought about it.

"The field test?"

"Bingo." Terra scowled as Robin narrowly missed being squashed by a boulder.

"What? Couldn't hack it?" Robin smirked and pulled out his birdarang, holding it in between two fingers in his ready position. Eyes widening, Terra drew her hands to her sides. Robin could slice her into a million pieces if he wanted to. And she had a feeling that if she slammed him with a rock, he would take the initiative.

"Next time you're controlling it, just try to keep your fuck sessions with Slade _off_ the control panel, alright?" Terra sneered, before making her way past Robin and into the base. She refrained from limping until she was out of Robin's sight. A blade had gotten her on the shin, but hell if she would ever admit getting hurt to Robin.

Apparently, though, she didn't have to.

"Huh?" She found herself being pulled by the arm to Robin's room and wondered when he had even caught up to her, let alone grabbed her in the first place. "What are you doing?"

"You're hurt," he said simply, sitting her on his bed. Terra raised an eyebrow at the sudden act of kindness, but knowing that she, herself, was hopeless in tending to wounds, wisely decided not to object. Lying back on the bed, Terra sighed, before a thought suddenly occurred to her and she jumped up, almost falling over from the sharp pain in her leg.

"Oh my God… do you and Slade… eww, on _this bed_? And I'm _sitting on it_?" Terra's eyes were wide and she looked as if she'd been permanently scarred. The glare Robin gave her, however, made her sit down again and keep silent. Cocking her head to the side, Terra studied the room she was in. The walls, the furniture, the floor… it was all black. Almost exactly like her room. The only difference was the random splashes of red here and there. She brought her gaze to a room with the light on and the door open ajar. It looked to be the bathroom. The sink was stainless steel and the walls were white – a perfect contrast to the bedroom. Resting on the sink were assorted blades, some covered in dried blood. Terra looked down to avoid getting sick. Fighting the Teen Titans and stealing things was one thing… but killing innocent people? She'd never had it in her.

She yelped at a sudden coldness on her leg, but relaxed when she realized it was only Robin wiping the cut clean. Terra frowned as she watched him. He'd changed so much since she had first met him in Titan Tower. Even since he first joined Slade. In the beginning it was almost as if he was reluctant to have anything to do with the man – he'd lock himself in his room, have mood swings, and even run away. But he would come back. For some reason he would always come back. Now he and Slade had some sort sadistic relationship existing that Terra didn't try, or want to try, to understand, and Robin, who was once all for justice and righteousness, was a cold-blooded killer.

And cocky as hell about it too.

Terra sighed and tried not to wince as Robin applied some kind of medicine. When Robin had left the Teen Titans, it was almost as if he had needed to go into some metamorphosis and become a completely new and different person. He'd even changed his uniform. Now it was a full body suit, heavily armored at the arms and legs and divided evenly into orange and black. Terra wondered where his old uniform had gone.

"OW!" she hissed at the sudden pain, bringing her leg away from Robin's helping hands. The boy looked slightly sheepish for a moment, before giving her a look. Knowing not to test him, Terra put her foot back on the floor.

Sometimes though, like now, glimpses of the old Robin would resurface. She wished it would happen more often. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was lonely. Extremely. She'd thought that joining up with Slade would end that problem, but it had only made it worse. Especially when Robin joined.

In truth, she hated Slade. Couldn't stand him. There were times in battle when she wished for Robin's boomerang to accidentally hit her 'master' instead. She'd been fooled in the beginning to believe that Slade had actually cared about her, but once that image had been shattered, all respect for the older man had been as well. And now, with perfect control of her powers, she wondered why she was even still here.

"Done." Robin's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she smiled tentatively at him, expecting the smirk she got in return.

"Don't screw yourself up again, or next time I just might like to see you in pain."

The ground shook and Terra had to try very hard not to reach out and slap him.

When she returned to her room, she laid down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling, bringing her mind back to her previous thoughts. Why _was_ she still here? Sitting up, she glanced at the yellow communicator resting on her bedside table. She'd kept it all this time because… well, she wasn't sure why exactly. Maybe in hopes of Beast Boy forgiving her and asking her to come back. Or maybe because she didn't want to fully let go of the people she thought were her friends. In either case, she was glad that she had kept it. When she had heard it beeping that morning, she'd almost had a heart attack. At first she thought she was hearing things. Then she figured that maybe they'd entered the wrong sequence and gotten her by mistake. After an hour of listening to it beep, she'd finally checked it and was shocked to see what it'd said. Reaching over, she grabbed the circular device and opened it, reading the message that Raven had left her.

'_Terra. Meet me at the pier at nine o'clock. Come alone. We need to talk. Raven_'

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Terra looked at her watch anxiously. It was 8:55 and still no sign of Raven. The thought that this could be some sort of trap had entered her mind long ago, and she had dismissed it, figuring that being kidnapped by the Teen Titans had to be better than her life back at Slade's base.

"Are you alone?" The monotone voice from behind made her jump. Looking over her shoulder, she raised an eyebrow.

"Slade and Robin said they'd rather go at it like monkeys than come protect me in case of an ambush when I asked them," she said dryly. Raven approached Terra with her hood on, making the blonde increasingly nervous. Terra hated when she couldn't see someone's face. It was another reason she had to get away from Slade.

"Terra." The tone of Raven's voice made it clear that she wanted to get straight to the point. "We need to stop Slade."

Terra sighed. She'd had a feeling that if she wasn't going to be attacked, then it would be something like this. She frowned.

"And why are you telling _me_? Do you want me to go back and tell him you're plotting an attack against him?"

"No. Because you won't." Raven spoke in complete confidence, and Terra found herself confused.

"I won't?"

"No. Because you'll be helping us."

"I'll be _what?_" Terra stared at Raven in shock. That was unexpected.

"You'll be helping us. You're on the inside, you know what's going on. He'll be too busy with Robin to notice anything strange you do."

"And what makes you think I'll even consider it?"

"Because you're miserable. You left us thinking you'd be happier, but now you're so much worse off. Slade ignores you for Robin and most likely makes you do the dirty work while Robin is rewarded for even the slightest thing," Raven said knowingly. Terra's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to reply, but found no sound coming out.

"You make me sound like Cinderella," she said after a moment. Raven held back a sigh of relief. She'd hoped she'd been right about her conclusions. She shrugged.

"So what do yo-"

"Wait. I totally screwed you over last time. Are you saying you trust me not to do it again?"

"No," Raven said simply, "We don't trust you at all. The way I see it: if you use this as an excuse to get back into Slade's good graces, and manage to do so, Robin will end up cutting you eight different ways and serve you in slices."

"Okay. You're...morbid as ever," Terra mumbled with a shudder. Raven had once again hit it right on the mark, however - the Boy Wonder didn't handle jealousy very well.

"I don't do happy."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"Are you sure the others are okay with this?" Terra wondered anxiously as she followed Raven into Titan Tower. If she could have, she probably would have turned and run, but as it was, with her hurt leg, Raven had to levitate her.

"The others don't know," Raven replied as she waited for the security system to scan her. Terra's eyes widened.

"They _don't know_?"

"Relax, will you? Cyborg will just curse you, Beast Boy will go into another bout of depression, and Starfire will be confused as always. Nothing to worry about."

Terra stared at Raven's back and wondered if the girl was being sarcastic or completely serious.

"And then there's Speedy."

"Speedy? Robin's clone?"

"Yeah. He'll probably try to shoot you with an arrow at first."

"You're joking, right?"

"I don't joke," Raven said shortly. Terra wondered if it was too late to resign herself to being Cinderella for the rest of her life.

The door opened and Raven finally let Terra down, wrapping an arm around her waist. If it was to help her walk or to keep her from escaping, Terra wasn't sure.

"Raven? Is that you? Where did you go? Speedy was just showing Cyborg how to do the cheat in their video ga-" Starfire's voice ended in a gasp as she turned the corner and her eyes fell upon Terra. "What is she doing here? She has betrayed us! She is with Slade! She is evil!"

"Calm down, Star," Raven said in a voice that Terra decided was not very calming. She pulled away from Raven's grasp and limped over to the nearest wall, resting against it.

"She is bad! She has hurt Beast Boy!"

"Star, please," Raven tried again. Starfire shook her head stubbornly.

"She has stolen Robin from us!" The redhead's voice got louder with every word. Not wanting the rest of the team to be alerted yet, Raven muttered a curse, gagging Starfire with a strip of her power. Star's eyes widened and she tried to scream, backing away from Raven and Terra, eyes darting back and forth between them.

"No, Star. I haven't betrayed you," Raven said, her voice sounding slightly reassuring. She took off her hood as if to show her how earnest she was. Starfire looked skeptical, but visibly calmed down.

"I'll remove it if you promise not to scream." When Raven spoke again, it was almost as if she was talking to a child. Starfire nodded.

Terra gulped. Cinderella really was beginning to not sound all that bad.

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TBC

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	3. Cross Out My Eyes

**Disclaimer:** Own nothing but the story idea and my soul. And even that's debatable depending on who you talk to.

**Emerald Star:** This chapter was a little better than the last one when it came to Slade and Robin… but do not fear! Next chapter will be chock full of it! And yes, screwed-up!Robin is delightful, no?

**Princess of Mirrors:** Strangely enough, I like Terra. I know she betrayed them and all, but like Beast Boy said in 'Aftershock' – she's not evil, just made some bad choices. And Robin is going to be such an evil, sadistic bastard in upcoming chapters that, if that's what floats your boat, you will be on cloud 9 :)

**Teno-hikari:** Again, I adore Terra so of course she'd be 3-dimensional :) – and I also am secretly in love with Speedy. It makes me sad that he's not in many fics when he and Robin so obviously want to get it on in the back ;-;

**ShadowCatMage13:** Well it's always a huge compliment when people read my stories even if they don't agree with the subject matter! But I think you'll be happy to know that, no, Terra is not going to be slashed in this fic :)

To everyone else, thanks for the reviews! They keep the juice flowing!

**Everyone go check out the prequel to this, "The Rain Goes On" for it to make more sense :)**

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**Rectitude  
****Chapter Two**

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Robin narrowed his eyes and scanned the lively club scene, lurking in an abandoned corner. Colorful lights flared and the music pulsated, nearly drowning out all other sounds. The mass of gyrating bodies emitted an air of energized heat and the smoke in the room was almost suffocating. 

Spotting his target, Robin took a step forward, halting at the sudden grip on his arms.

"Did you find a new toy to play with, little bird?" The voice's proximity to his ear made him shiver. He felt a pressure against his back and suddenly the zipper of his constricting leather pants was being eased down, a cold hand forcing its way inside.

"Jared Randolph," Robin stated in a surprisingly calm tone. He closed his eyes to enjoy the ministrations the hand was giving as it worked its way lower. "His father owns the largest tungsten mine in the country. Third largest in the world."

"And what are you going to do with this boy?" Robin felt the icy mask rest against his neck and gasped at the sensation, trying not to buck his hips into the palm that was gently messaging him.

"Terra's job," he growled, biting down on his bottom lip to stifle a moan. He held back a whimper when the hand pulled away and redid his pants.

"Now now… let's not blame this on the girl." The tempting hand made its way up Robin's chest slowly. "Sources indicate that this boy also enjoys company of the…" Two fingers rested against Robin's lips, while the others turned his face in the direction of his prey. "Male persuasion."

Robin opened his eyes again to find that Jared had taken to dancing with an attractive boy with blonde hair. Nodding, he pulled away from the cold body that somehow radiated an intense heat, and began his stalk towards the victim.

"And Robin." He stopped at the voice, but didn't turn around. "Remember who you belong to."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"Oops." Robin chuckled drunkenly as the drink in his hand spilt from the force with which he had bumped into Jared. He smiled sheepishly and raised his hand to his mouth, lapping at the dripping liquid. "Sorry."

"Ah, no problem…" The other boy grinned, immediately turning his attentions to the slender figure before him. The blonde whom he had been dancing with looked offended at the sudden disregard, storming off when Robin simply smirked at him.

"Are you here alone?" Jared wondered, eyes steadily raking up Robin's body. Robin glanced over his shoulder to the shadows where he knew he was being watched, before bringing his gaze back to Jared with a charming smile.

"Yeah."

"That's a shame," Jared murmured, his voice relaying that he thought quite differently, "Then would you care to dance?"

Robin's hip prickled where Jared was suddenly touching him and he knew it was from the glare that Slade was sending the target's hand.

"I'd love to."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"So… you're a 'Tungsten Heir'?" Robin laughed, leaning against the wall of a secluded corner they had found. Jared allowed himself a chuckle as well and shrugged.

"Not a very glamorous title, I guess. But hey, there's still some action and adventure that comes with it."

"Like what? The rigorous job of deciding exactly how much to put in a light bulb?" Robin smiled and put his hands behind his back, pulling out a ring with a tiny needle sticking out. He inconspicuously slid it onto the middle finger of his right hand.

"Well, for example…" Jared suddenly stood taller, as if the words that would come out next made him even more important. "I'm not even supposed to be out right now. My father would kill me if he knew I was here… My bodyguards are probably looking all over for me."

"Oh, really? Bodyguards? For a _tungsten_ heir?" Robin cocked his head to the side and looked incredulous. Jared grinned and leaned in towards Robin, propping himself up against the wall with his arm.

"Well, not many people know this…but tungsten is the strongest metal known to man."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And it can withstand more heat than anything else."

"Interesting."

Jared stepped closer to Robin. "It is. Major weapons of war could be made from it…. In fact, if my father's supply were to get into the wrong hands…"

"Let me guess. Chaos and mass destruction?" Robin smiled and brought his right hand up to the back of Jared's neck. The other boy grinned at the motion, before his eyes suddenly widened and took on a glazed look. With little more than a tug on Robin's part, Jared fell slack against him and Robin pulled his hand away from Jared's neck, making sure the needle had embedded itself completely in his flesh.

"Good." Robin looked over at Slade's voice and frowned. Slade didn't sound like it had been very good at all. Pushing Jared's limp body off of him, he stepped back as Slade roughly threw the boy over his shoulders. Shaking out his body, Robin hesitantly followed Slade down a dark passageway that was hidden by a stack of large crates. As he turned a corner, he felt the ground tremble and realized that they were walking beneath the Jump City Train Station. His eyes traced the shaking ceiling as the faux-earthquake made him wonder where the hell Terra was for the third time that day.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Terra shifted uncomfortably in her spot on the couch between Raven and Starfire. She kept her eyes on the floor, trying desperately to ignore the nasty glares Cyborg was sending her and the way Speedy's fingers were rhythmically tapping on his bow, almost as if he were ready to shoot at any given moment.

"Raven, this insane," the archer muttered, finally breaking the tense silence. Starfire nodded ardently, but recoiled at the look the hooded girl sent her.

"You want Robin back, don't you?" Raven replied in a calm voice. "She can help. And even if we can't succeed with saving Robin, with her knowledge of his operations, we can at least defeat Slade."

At the mention of the ex-Titan, Speedy pursed his lips together and sat back; it was a stance that reminded Raven of Robin on those rare occasions when he realized that he was on the losing side of an argument.

"We can't trust her," Cyborg snapped. Raven sighed and folded her arms across her chest, as if to establish an air of authority.

"And we're not going to. She'll be on a strictly need-to-know basis," the Azarathian stated. Cyborg snorted, but looked away - a sign Raven recognized as reluctant defeat. Next to her, Starfire still looked uncertain.

"Are you sure this plan of yours will be of the successful kind?" Star questioned worriedly. She nibbled on her bottom lip and folded her fingers together. Terra couldn't help feeling somewhat offended by the fact that they were talking about her as if she weren't sitting right in front of them.

"No. But it's the only plan we've got."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Beast Boy sighed as he stepped into the elevator of Titan Tower with four large pizzas in his hands. His favorite food in the world was only minutes away from being consumed and he was still feeling as if he were in the same rut that he had been in for months. Cyborg had even allowed the order to be all veggie just for him, but as much as Beast Boy appreciated it, it hadn't really lifted his mood as much as the half-human probably hoped it would.

"At least he tried, huh?" the changeling muttered to himself as he pressed the button that opened the door to the all-purpose room with his elbow. He briefly thought about changing to a moose of some sort, or even an octopus, to help him balance the food, but thought better of it when the bottom of the coffee table came into view beneath the pizza cartons that were partially blinding him.

"All right guys, the pizza has made its entrance!" He said with mock cheer. Setting the pizza down on the table, he was finally able to study his surroundings. The entire gang was there, sitting on the couch and glaring each other down.

His last observation caught him off guard.

Glaring each other down? Cocking his head to the side, Beast Boy raised an eyebrow at the five on the couch.

Wait a minute…

_Five_?

Beast Boy's green eyes locked onto a pair of startling blue ones, partially obscured by long, blonde hair.

Brain suddenly going numb, the changeling let out a strangled squeak. The last thought that ran through his mind was that he was glad he had put the pizzas down, before he collapsed into a dead faint.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"Beast Boy!" Starfire cried out in alarm. Flying to her fallen friend, she hovered over him with wide eyes. "Why has he fallen inexplicably to the ground?"

"He's fine, Star," Raven reassured her, voice neutral. "He's just shocked."

A resounding horn abruptly began to blare as the lights went dim, and crimson illuminated the tower.

"He may be fine, but the Randolph Engineering Plant ain't!" Cyborg yelled over the noise as he pulled up the distress signal on their surveillance screen.

"It's them," Raven announced, looking at the monitor from over Cyborg's shoulder. She glanced at Terra pointedly, frowning when she saw the former Titan watching Beast Boy's limp form.

"Terra," she hissed, causing the blonde to come back to reality. Flushing, Terra nodded and rose to her feet.

"Right," she said as she ran to the door. She hesitated, one foot left inside the room.

"He'll be fine," Raven promised. Nodding, Terra allowed herself another blush and raced out.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"Where were you?" Terra jumped at the sound of blades slicing through the air, not having a chance to blink before a familiar boomerang embedded itself in the wall mere centimeters from her head.

"I was…out for a walk," she forced out, keeping her eyes on the wall she was facing. Robin, for unknown reasons, sounded angry. She didn't want to anger him further.

"You're lying," he hissed. Terra could almost feel the heat generating off his body as he stepped closer. Soon he was nearly pressed against her. She could smell the sweat and smoke on him and the last scent made her frown. As far as she knew, Robin didn't smoke. And neither did Slade.

"Where were you?" The voice was low, and Terra no longer had to guess that Robin was irritated. He was livid.

"Where were _you_?" Terra sneered, clenching her fists at her side. Robin had obviously done something out of the ordinary to be so angry, and to practically reek of drugs. He had no business yelling at _her _when he'd been off doing suspicious things as well.

Her power engulfed her like a golden flame and any stray rock or pebble within a ten-foot radius was lifted and aimed at Robin.

"Bad move," the Boy Wonder snarled, promptly ducking down to avoid the onslaught of stones. Terra barely had a chance to think before she realized that she needed to stop her control over the earth or else she would be attacked with her own weapons in such a confined area. Turning around abruptly, she cast the rocks to the side.

Another boomerang hit the wall. This time, it was so close that it grazed her skin.

"What's your _problem_?" Terra shouted. She knew better than to move. Situations like these had happened too many times before. It was all a part of living in the dysfunctional family of Slade. While she was secure in the fact that she was nothing to Slade but another soldier, the relationship she had with Robin was less than simple. It confused her more often than not. Sometimes they were like rival siblings; constantly bickering and trying to get the best of each other, but still there to help out when it got bad. Other times, they acted as complete strangers; passing each other in the corridors without acknowledgement and avoiding working together on a mission without a second thought.

During times like these, however, when Robin was inexplicably pissed and Terra was not in the mood to sit back and take it – they were pure enemies.

"I am _not-_" Robin aimed a punch at Terra's face, which she quickly dodged. Robin didn't seem surprised. Instead, he went in for another attack. "-_Slade's-_" This time a kick. It was intercepted by one of Terra's stones. "_-toy!_" Robin's fist cracked the wall where Terra's head had been moments before. Closing his eyes, Robin took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

Terra rolled her eyes. In the hierarchy of Slade's team, Robin knew his position to be that of the Prince, with Slade as his King. Whereas the logical spot for Terra would seem to be Princess, she was instead left to be the Servant Girl. Cinderella. Nothing of importance. The _real_ "toy." She was never to forget her place and both Slade and Robin were always there to make sure of that. Robin especially. He was a very spoiled little prince.

It was then that Terra noticed the bluish discoloration on his cheek. Her first instinct was to say that Robin had gotten into a fight, but something inside told her she was wrong - it would be a rare day indeed when Robin would allow himself to be hurt in battle. She knew exactly how he'd gotten the mark. The sheer size alone was enough to tell her that an abnormally large fist had been the dealer. Slade's fist.

Terra frowned. Slade only gave Robin bruises when he was angry with the boy. Cuts and bite marks were commonplace with the two, but bruises were a sign that Robin had done something wrong. The thought made Terra pause. Robin _never_ did anything wrong.

The most recent time that Terra could remember Slade furiously dragging Robin off had been when he'd grown unreasonably jealous that Robin had been looking a little "too interested" in what one of their younger, more attractive allies had been saying.

And then Terra realized why Robin was so angry. That day had been the mission to the club to kidnap the Randolph Heir. Using force would have been easy and efficient, but Slade always thought that seduction was the most entertaining way. And as always, it was Terra's job to be the bait. When she'd been informed of the mission, Robin had sarcastically brought up the Heir's supposed liking for both genders. She guessed he really hadn't been saying it just to say it.

Terra couldn't help feeling slight guilt. Especially when she noticed the swollen lip and the angry bump on Robin's forehead that had been poorly covered by the boy's grown out bangs. She lowered her arms from her defensive stance and watched as Robin pummeled the wall. When he had seemed to get it out of his system, all vulnerable emotions were gone as if they were never there.

"Slade's been waiting for you to show up," Robin said coldly. Terra nodded and followed the Boy Wonder to the area that Slade and his androids had taken control of.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Speedy narrowed his eyes as he landed next to Starfire. It was far too quiet. None of the expected shouting and explosions that usually greeted them at a scene. He motioned for the team to be on guard.

The abrupt whirring sound that caught his attention was all too familiar.

"Titans! Go!" Speedy commanded as he motioned for them to break formation. He grabbed Starfire and pulled her out of the way before the exploding boomerang hit its target, right in the center of where the group had been standing.

There was silence again as the Titans caught their bearings. In the shadows ahead, a lone figure dropped gracefully to the floor.

"Is it that easy to replace me?" Robin's voice echoed tauntingly. The silhouette leapt into the air and disappeared.

"Robin, no one has replaced-" Speedy placed a hand on Starfire's arm to silence her plea.

"He's toying with us, Starfire. Don't let him get to you."

"Hm. Speedy." The name was uttered in a contemplative tone. It seemed to have come from all directions.

"Robin." The archer raised his bow and closed his eyes, listening for any sound that could pinpoint the hidden boy's location. A light scratching sound from straight ahead made him pull the arrow back and ready it for release.

"Don't miss." The voice was right next to his ear. Snapping his eyes open, he pointed his arrow to where he thought the owner of the voice would be, when he suddenly realized that in the time that his eyes had been closed, the lights had gone out.

_What's his game?_ Speedy wondered as he cautiously lowered his bow. Did he just lure them there to play with them for his own sick amusement? No…The scanners had clearly shown that Slade was there too. But then –

Speedy froze. Slade.

Robin was merely a distraction.

"Titans! Forget about Robin! Go find Slade and stop him!"

"But-" Speedy was relieved to hear that Starfire had not moved from her place beside him. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he gently pushed her forward.

"Starfire, go. I've got Robin."

"You will not-"

"I won't hurt him," he said softly. Through the darkness, he could almost see the skepticism on the redhead's face, before she took off to follow the rest of the team.

He was left in silence again.

"How sweet. You'll hold back so I won't get hurt." Robin's voice was far away again.

"Robin." The lights flashed on just in time for Speedy to see Robin's fist as it impacted with his jaw.

"I wish I could say the same for you." Robin aimed a kick at Speedy's withdrawn form, looking surprised when the archer was able to evade it.

Gritting his teeth, Speedy grabbed another arrow and positioned it on his bow. A rapid sweep of Robin's leg threw off his balance and caused him to fall to the ground. His bow landed at Robin's feet.

Speedy felt his stomach drop as the former Titan picked up the bow and inspected it.

"If I remember correctly…" Robin drawled, finger tracing the bow's length almost seductively. "The weakest point is…here." With a sadistic smirk, Robin cleanly snapped the bow over his knee.

"No!" Speedy watched helplessly as his only weapon was cast brokenly to the side.

"Get up," Robin hissed in disgust. He put his hands up in a stance that announced his readiness to fight. "I've had a bad day."

"I'm not here for you to take it out on," Speedy muttered as he jumped to his feet. Despite his words, he too got ready for the oncoming battle. "But you always did anyway."

"Aren't you proud?" Robin threw the first punch, kneeing Speedy's exposed stomach when the archer raised his arms to block the attack. "I've become everything you hated in me."

"I never hated anything about you," Speedy wheezed out, gripping his injured abdomen. He never was very skilled when it came to physical combat. Especially when his opponent was Robin.

"Liar," Robin snarled, sending a kick to Speedy's jaw. He smirked when he heard the satisfying crack of breaking bones.

Speedy let out a low groan of pain as he sunk to the floor, trying to speak through his hurt. All that came out was messy blood splatter and a weak gurgle.

"Get up!" Robin grabbed the archer roughly by the collar and lifted him to his feet. Lip curling in disdain, he shoved Speedy away from him. "Fight me."

Speedy shook his head.

"Fight me!" Robin threw a punch to Speedy's chest, scowling when the other boy simply let himself get abused. Screaming in frustration, Robin advanced with another attack. He kept his fists moving, each assault hitting its target. Mind clouded by rage and aggravation, he barely registered the fact that the only thing holding Speedy up was the speed of his punches.

A loud grunt escaped Robin's lips as he rapidly swung his leg into Speedy, sending the archer flying into a nearby column. Moaning in pain, Speedy forced his eyes to stay open as he watched Robin stalk over to him. He heard a strange click, and before he could register what was happening, he was being held up by Robin's hand gripping his collar and one of the Boy Wonder's bladed boomerangs was aimed at his neck. The razor glimmered in the light.

"Robin." Speedy immediately saw how the other boy tensed at the voice in his communicator. The silence proved to be just enough for the archer to hear exactly what was being said over the disk in Robin's ear. "We've gotten what we came for."

"Fine," Robin hissed, hand tightening around his boomerang. "I'll be right there."

Speedy closed his eyes tightly, preparing himself for what he knew was going to come.

_He's going to kill me…_He thought with a strange calm. Images of himself and the boy who held his life in his hands filled his mind. Only, it wasn't this boy. It was another boy from another life.

A resounding clang brought Speedy out of his thoughts and it was then that he realized the released hold on him. Opening his eyes, Speedy looked around the room in confusion.

Robin was gone.

* * *

TBC

* * *


	4. Give Me Something Worth Living For

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything but my own ideas...

* * *

**Wrongful Vanity:** Spoke to soon :) And thanks so much for reading all of my stories! 

**Ravens-Despair: ** While I appreciate that you enjoy the story and are willing to read it even though it's slash, I feel as though your comments were a bit rude. You have every right not to read/not read a story that, apparently, literally made you throw up, but I don't appreciate hearing about it. Yes they always have to "do" it. They are a main pairing in the story, that's just how the story goes. You don't have to read it if it creeps you out, and I'm sorry that it did.

**Poopy Penguin: **Sorry, love! Not much into Slade/Robin here either... As I said before, Robin decided to go a little crazy instead XD

** xxxHolicxyuuko:** You're so sweet :D, thank you so much!

**al al: **Thank you for such wonderful comments! Another author I can recommend is teno-hikari, and also at my lj Teen-Titan Slash community (the link is in my profile :D )

**Hybridbabe: ** Reading reviews like yours make my day :) I hope you do become a slash fan (come to the dark side!). And the biggest compliment I can recieve is that everyone's in character :)

**Danitha:** Thank you so much! And yes, I too love Terra. One of my favorite characters, indeed :)

**Emerald Star: **Only a bit of Slade/Robin action here, but all for you :D

**Everyone Else**: Thanks so much for reading and leaving such wonderful reviews!

* * *

**Notes:** Haha! I win! I finally got this chapter out :D I know I know. I said lots of Slade/Robin action, but Robin decided to freak out instead ; Also, I figure that the main area of Slade's base is his little lair, but, as he does appear to live there, I assume that yes, there is a kitchen. That's random, but I don't want anyone yelling at me saying "omg! therez no kitchen!" 

**Everyone read the Prequel to this, "The Rain Goes On" for this to make more sense :)**

* * *

** Rectitude  
Chapter Three**

* * *

"You didn't kill him." Robin tensed at the voice in his ear, his hands freezing mid-pull as he yanked off his utility belt. He hadn't heard Slade enter the room. Taking a breath to regain his composure, Robin dropped the belt to the floor and turned around to face his master. 

"I wasn't through with him yet," he said flatly. Slade cocked his head to the side and watched Robin for a moment. Stepping back, he circled the boy slowly, giving him an appraising glance.

"And when will you be through with him?" Slade halted behind Robin's back and slipped his arms around the Boy Wonder's waist, pulling the smaller figure flush against his chest. "He's the one that hurt you, is he not?"

"Yes," Robin muttered, eyes fixated on a strange shadow that descended across the floor.

"So why didn't you just kill him? Give him what he deserved?" Robin heard a soft clink that echoed in the silence. Warm breaths of air suddenly danced along his neck.

"Why didn't you just kill me when I was Red X?" Robin replied after a moment. He knew the answer, but he was desperate for something to say.

"Because, my little bird…." Slade pressed an uncharacteristically tender kiss to Robin's neck. "_I_ wasn't through with _you _yet. I knew that one day…" He removed his gloves and dropped them to the floor, hand coming up to caress Robin's face. "One day soon… you'd be mine."

Robin gasped when Slade's mouth covered the overly sensitive part of his ear. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the solid figure holding him up.

"But that's not the reason you didn't kill him, is it?" Slade's voice held authority and a tone that specifically told Robin that it had _better_ not be the reason.

"N-no…" Robin whimpered as his uniform was gently peeled away. He hated feeling so vulnerable.

At the same time, he craved it.

"Then why?"

"I…" Slade silenced Robin with a heated kiss, fingers pulling Robin's face towards his own. When he pulled away from the boy, he led Robin to the bed and laid the Boy Wonder down.

"Think about your answer, my pretty little bird… we wouldn't want it to get you in trouble, now would we?"

**O:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:O**

"So why didn't you kill him?" Robin jumped at the voice and nearly dropped the glass of milk he held in his hands. Terra cocked her head to the side and propped herself up against the opposite countertop.

"And why are you so jumpy?" she wondered, reaching over to grab a cookie from the plate next to her. She'd made them the night before in her anger with Slade and Robin. Cooking always made her feel better. She looked up when she received no answer from Robin, and found the boy staring intently into his cup.

"Looking for an answer in there? Because I hate to be the one to break it to you, but all you're going to find is white liquidy stuff," Terra said lightly, nibbling on the cookie. Robin made no sign that he'd heard her. Sighing, Terra folded her arms across her chest.

"So do you love him?" she asked simply. Robin's eyes widened and the glass fell from his grip.

"No! I hate him!" he shouted. Terra raised an eyebrow.

"I was talking about Slade," she replied, although she really hadn't been. Robin looked sheepish, something that Terra didn't see often, and grabbed a paper towel to wipe up the spilt milk.

"So I'm gonna ask again. Why didn't you kill him?" Terra got her own rag and walked over to the Boy Wonder, bending down to help clean. Robin looked up in surprise, confused as to why Terra was being so kind to him.

"I…" He averted his gaze and shrugged. "I didn't want to get my boomerang dirty, alright?" he hissed, throwing his towel into the garbage with a little more force than necessary. Terra sat back on her haunches and gave him a skeptical look.

"You mean the same boomerang you cared so much about that you left it behind?" Terra's eyes widened as soon as the words left her mouth, and she was thankful that Robin was being too moody to have picked up on the fact that she shouldn't have known he'd forgotten it. The only reason she'd figured it out was because, during a brief stop by Titan Tower to inform Raven of what exactly Slade had stolen, she'd seen Speedy mindlessly fingering the weapon. Terra sat with Robin in silence for a moment, before standing and looking down at him.

"You should have a cookie or something. You look like your insides are getting sucked in by an internal black hole," she said conversationally, noticing Robin's gaunt appearance. When Robin looked at her in bemusement, she simply smiled and left the kitchen.

Sometimes it was nice just talking to Robin with no hidden agenda or visible animosity. It made her feel more normal. And though the Boy Wonder would be loathed to admit it, Terra could tell by the relaxation of Robin's shoulders and the way he'd let her see him in a moment of weakness, that he felt the same.

**O:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:O**

Speedy frowned and ran his thumb over the sharp blade of the boomerang, brow furrowed in bewilderment.

_He didn't kill me_. The thought continuously echoed throughout his mind, each time coming back to haunt him with full force as soon as the last sound faded away.

_Why didn't he kill me? He could have…He cou-_

"Friend Speedy?" The archer looked up at the voice and smiled slightly at Starfire, gently placing the boomerang on the kitchen table in front of him.

"Yeah, Star?"

The Tamaranian beamed at the acknowledgment and floated her way to the chair across from him, sitting down quietly. She was silent for a long moment, before her gaze rose and she was suddenly staring at Speedy intently, as if searching for something.

"You have the insomnia?" she asked curiously. Speedy raised an eyebrow at her before he caught sight of the digital clock on the microwave and grimaced. Two-thirty in the morning. How long had he been sitting there? Sighing, he picked up the boomerang again, eyes widening when a smaller pair of hands rested upon his own.

"We will get him back," Starfire said softly, yet with so much conviction in her tone. "We will get him back."

Speedy nodded, not sure that he believed her as much as he wanted to.

**O:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:O**

Robin smiled as he buried his face into the warm shoulder in front of him, swaying gently to the music that surrounded them, the arms encircling his waist making him feel safe and wanted. Something he hadn't felt in a while.

"I love you," a soft voice whispered in his ear, and Robin nodded, voicing his return of the phrase with a tender tightening of his arms around his partner.

"You're _mine_." The voice suddenly wasn't so soft anymore, and the grip on his waist felt anything but safe.

"L-let go," he mumbled, struggling to break free of the grasp he was in, noticing with a sickening fear that the shoulder his head had been on was now icy and harsh.

"Now, now, my pretty little bird…"

"Let. Me. Go!" Robin shouted, using all of his force to push away from his tormenter. And then suddenly he was falling. Falling fast and hard and his voice tried to scream but no sound came out. No matter how far he fell, however, the surface remained the same distance away from him. If he just reached a bit higher…

Two separate hands reached out for him, each wanting to be his savior. The first was long and slender, a soft white glow surrounding it warmly. The second was large and thick, a metallic glove hiding its true appearance, the black aura encircling it seductive.

Time seemed to stop as he stared at his two choices. Whichever one he decided on would be the one he would return to. The one he would stay with. The one he needed. Somewhere deep inside he knew he that he resented both in some way, but the reasons for his hostility were unclear to him.

And then he was falling again. This time, however, the surface was slowly fading away and his survival was ascending farther and farther out of reach. He had to pick. He had to pick _now._

Eyes shutting tightly, he reached out blindly, grabbing hold of the hand his gut had told him to.

And then he woke up.

Robin scrambled into a sitting position, panting as he ran his fingers shakily through his hair, eyes darting rapidly around the silent room. Clutching his blanket to his chest, he struggled to regain his breath and carefully stepped onto the cold cement floor of his bedroom. Reaching unsteadily behind him, he grabbed the oversized white t-shirt he'd worn before bed and slipped it on over his body. Silently, he made his way to the mirror that sat against the wall across from him, stopping just in front of the reflective surface.

The face that looked back at him was hollow and skeletal and he wondered when the last time he'd actually eaten had been. The only thing that seemed alive in his appearance was the black hair that had grown long enough to shade his eyes when he wanted - a shadow that forever existed over him. With a frown, Robin ran his fingers over the large bruise that spanned the side of his face. Matching marks, he knew, could be seen covering his stomach if he chose to lift up his shirt.

What were the Titans doing at that moment?

The strange thought caught him unaware and he tensed, wondering where the question had come from.

Were they even missing him?

Taking a step back, Robin suddenly felt cold. The room was starting to spin.

Why weren't they trying to find him?

Falling to his knees, Robin clenched his head with his fists, struggling to block out the rogue thoughts.

Why weren't they trying to bring him home?

"Stop.." he grit out through clenched teeth, nails digging into his scalp.

Why weren't they trying to save him?

All at once Robin was on his feet, fist flying straight through the glass of the mirror. As if in slow motion, thousands of tiny pieces floated to the ground, Robin catching his reflection in each and every one of them. Closing his eyes, Robin ignored the stinging sensation his hand felt and tried to regain his breath, listening for anymore of that weak voice in his head. That's what it was. It was weak. Weak for needing anyone but himself. For needing the Titans. For needing saving.

He didn't need saving.

Somehow, he didn't feel as reassured as he wanted when all he was met with was silence. Growling, Robin grabbed a random set of civilian clothing that littered the floor, keeping his eyes adverted from the mirror.

**O:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:O**

The silence that surrounded the small bridge he stood on was more peaceful than the one in his room. Here the quiet was disrupted by stray animals and the sounds of the world beyond the park, leaving him little room alone with his thoughts. Gazing down at the river below him, he stared once again at his reflection. Without his mask on, he simply looked like a scared and battered boy, blue eyes radiating more than he wanted to let on. Closing his eyes tightly, he gripped the railing of the bridge and forced a sigh.

What if he were to jump? Just dive head first into the shallow water, cracking his skull open on the rocks? It would be easy. It would be so easy.

Eyes widening, Robin stepped back from the side of the bridge, looking around for something that wasn't there. The voice in his head was back again.

Jumping would be better than returning back to Slade. Slade who used him as a mere toy for his pleasure.

Robin shook his head, feeling dizzy as the light from the moon and stars danced nauseatingly around him.

It would be better than returning to the Titans as well. They weren't missing him. They didn't need him. They had told him to leave. But he wanted so badly for them to save him.

"No!" Robin shouted into the silence, stumbling back to the bridge railing, holding on for balance.

He could just…

"I hope you're not planning on jumping." The soft voice was almost a whisper on the wind, but Robin heard it anyway, feeling relieved and full of dread all at once. His insanities has temporarily been put on hold due to the intruder, but now… now Robin shivered, the familiar voice sending cold sparks down his back.

"And what if I am?" His voice was flat and cold.

"Then I'd have to save you." Robin tensed at the words, hands tightening on the railing. No. No one wanted to save him. No one needed to save him. He didn't _need_ saving.

"Dick…"

"Get out of here, Roy." Robin turned away from the taller boy, knowing without looking that the other was in civilian clothing just as he was.

"You didn't kill me."

And there was that phrase again. That phrase that he couldn't turn one corner without hearing. And it scared him. It scared him to death. It scared him because he didn't know the answer to the question that was silently being asked.

"Obviously," Robin sneered, pushing away from the railing and turning to leave. He froze when he felt a hand grip his wrist. Gazing down at the new link, his breath caught in his throat. Long and slender.

His dream…

"I. Don't. Need. Saving!" Robin screamed, twisting so that he was facing his self-proclaimed opponent. He was caught off guard by the sudden grip on his shoulders, eyes widening at the uncharacteristic roughness the other boy was displaying.

"Then save _me_." The urgency and desperation in the tone made Robin fall back in fear. Shaking his head, Robin yanked free, turning and taking off into a sprint. Relief washed over him when he realized that he wasn't being followed. Panting for air, Robin leaned against the nearest tree, closing his eyes.

Without their masks, their weapons, their uniforms… they weren't Robin and Speedy… they were Dick and Roy. Dick and Roy…

Robin opened his eyes and glanced at the moon.

Was what Dick wanted really so much different from Robin?

**  
O:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:O**

Robin grunted as he threw his fist at the punching bag, ignoring the way his whole arm stung from the injury he'd received from the mirror. He didn't care when the wounds reopened, blood trailing down his wrist. Caring was for the weak. Pain was for the weak. He wasn't weak. He was strong. He didn't need saving. 

He heard a crack of bone when another punch hit the target, but he paid it no mind.

He'd show them. He'd show them all, each and every one with a sick sense of satisfaction. Next time they met. He'd show them.

He didn't need saving.

* * *

**TBC**

* * *


	5. Anything To Keep Me Breathing

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but my own original ideas.

**four brindle drive:** _Thank you for your lovely compliments_, however, I can't help feeling that some of the comments were rather rude. _You_ may be under the impression that SladexRobin is disgusting, but to the majority of my readers and I, it's not. Robin enjoys it in _my fic_ where _I am the writer_ and that is that. And I'm sorry that I'm not leaping for joy because I've been redeemed in your eyes. Also, I wasn't planning on adding any SpeedyxStarfire romance into this fic (and I have absolutely no idea where you got that idea from), but if I wanted to, I don't feel I need your permission for it. You have me tempted to do so just because you told me not to.

**Raving-Lunatic:** Thank you so much! The hardest thing for me is the many dynamics in the story and I'm glad that some people think I'm doing a good job :)

**vudupins: **Your reviews always make me smile, sweetie :)

**Hybridbabe: **You are my own slasher creation! I shall call you Squishy and you shall be mine ;) (read: Yes! I have turned another one to the dark side! )

**Flick-chan:** WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU? - I mean...thank you, love. You're awesome, too :)

**Notes: **What the hell? I'm updating this? What? It only took me ten months, calm your asses down ;p In all seriousness, though, with Teen Titans starting a new season, I'm hoping to get back into the writing game with it.

**Also! Please read the Prequel to this, "The Rain Goes On," for it to make the most sense :)**

* * *

**Rectitude**  
**Chapter Four**

* * *

Beast Boy sat quietly in the confines of his room, eyes tracing the outlines of the silver, heart-shaped jewelry box he'd kept hidden away ever since Terra had betrayed them. The once shimmering surface had dulled over time and the insides had the faintest traces of rust. 

She was back now. Back on their side. The stinging sensation in his chest that came whenever he thought about it made him frown. Shouldn't he be happy?

He was still hurt, still angry. Still wanted to hate her. He wanted so much to hate her. He had been doing a pretty good job of it too.

But now she was back.

And he couldn't hate her. Not anymore. Yet, he couldn't love her like he once had either. He didn't know what to think of her now. Was she _really_ on their side? Or was she merely fooling them again? She seemed sincere.

Sometimes when she came to visit, revealing information on whatever plans Slade had recently thought up, she had bruises lining the side of her face or circling her neck. Beast Boy could always smell the fear and saltiness of freshly cried tears that would radiate off of her. No one ever asked what had happened to her, though. No one ever seemed to care.

Did he?

Frowning, Beast Boy sat up and walked to his door, resting his forehead against the cool metal surface as he composed himself. After a moment of hesitation, he found himself pressing the button to open it.

There was one other person in the Tower who could possibly help him to understand. Growling, he winced as the pain came back to him, clutching his hand tightly to his chest. He hoped he was right.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Speedy sat up from his position by the window of Robin's old room, looking over at the soft knock on the door. Though he hadn't specifically stated that he wanted to be left alone, he'd assumed that the moody stomping on his way in had announced that fact to the world. Sighing, he stood and made his way to the door, not bothering to replace the mask on his naked face.

"Who is it?" he called through the thick metal, his hand hovering over the 'open' button. There was a soft shuffle on the other side, before he heard Beast Boy shakily announce his presence. Thankful that it wasn't Starfire with another one of her pep talks, Speedy pressed on the button, stepping back to allow the changeling inside.

"What's up?" he wondered politely, ignoring the shocked look on Beast Boy's face upon seeing him without his mask. Beast Boy frowned, eyes traveling down Speedy's body, taking in the civilian clothing.

"Did you just go out?"

Speedy replayed his brief reunion with Robin in his mind, chest hurting at the memory. "Yeah." He stood and went back to the window. "Did you want something?"

Looking sheepish, Beast Boy nodded. "Can I sit down?"

"Sure," Speedy replied, waving vaguely to Robin's old bed. He'd taken up Robin's room after he'd officially moved in with the Titans.

Beast Boy quickly took a seat and nervously scratched his toes against the floor, looking anywhere but at the archer. He was silent except for his slightly ragged breathing.

"Beast Boy, look, if you just came here to hang out, I'm really not in the mo-"

"Tell me I'm not the only one hurting," Beast Boy whimpered so quietly that Speedy had to lean in to hear him. There was silence again as Speedy racked his brain for something to say. If he had inherited any trait from Robin, it'd been his awkwardness in emotional situations.

Robin…The pain in his chest was back.

"I…uhm…sorry to bother you," Beast Boy mumbled quickly after a while, apparently deciding that he'd made enough of a fool of himself. Speedy's eyes widened and he made his way to the bed, grabbing Beast Boy's wrist before the changeling could disappear out the door.

"I'm hurting too. A lot," he admitted, trying his hardest to relay his sincerity. Beast Boy visibly relaxed and returned to the bed.

"If he ever came back to you, would you forgive him?" he asked softly, not meeting the archer's eyes. Speedy sighed and frowned, resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

"I think I would. It would hurt too much not to."

"Could you ever trust him again?"

A rueful smile and Speedy's eyes were suddenly on Beast Boy.

"Maybe…. A lot more than you can trust her, at least. He never acted as a spy. At least when he was with us, he was really with us."

By the sinking of Beast Boy's shoulders, Speedy knew he had hit right on target.

"When you see him, does it hurt knowing you can't hold him when you really want to?"

Leaning back on his arms, Speedy stared at his ceiling, debating on how much information he wanted to divulge. It did feel nice to talk about it.

"Whenever I even think about him, it hurts."

"So…I'm not alone?" Beast Boy's eyes finally met Speedy's and he felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders.

"No…. You're not alone."

The now rare smile that Speedy was rewarded with made him pause and grin back, thankful that he wasn't alone either.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Growling to himself, Slade watched the Randolph Engineering Plant's surveillance tape with a narrowed eye. He froze the image and rewound to the single scene he'd already lost count of how many times he'd watched. Robin stood with that damned archer against the wall, birdarang out and ready to kill, abruptly stopping before his job could be completed.

Slade rewound.

Robin had stopped, hesitated and failed on his mission. The birdarang fell to the ground, the resounding noise echoing his failure.

Slade rewound.

Below him, he heard the cries of anger and rage as Robin took out his frustrations in the workout room on the floor beneath.

Slade rewound, but this time, paused the second before Robin released Speedy from his grip. Typing in a sequence on the control panel, Slade sat back and watched as the image filled every one of his surveillance monitors on the wall.

The image of a face caught between regret and sadness.

Slade's fists clenched in anger, ears catching on to the sound of Robin tearing the punching bag from the ceiling with a particularly violent attack.

Sitting up, Slade tapped his fingers steadily against the console, eyes never leaving his screens.

"My, my, pretty little bird…. What have you gotten yourself into?"

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Struggling to regain his breath, Robin stood stoically over the fallen punching bag, mentally mocking the training tool for being so weak. The pain in his wrist had reached the point where it had become numb and Robin brought the limb to his face, staring detachedly at the odd angle with which the hand connected to the arm. He vaguely remembered the sound of breaking bones when the workout had first started.

A soft sound from behind made Robin whip around, dropping into a ready fighting position.

There was no one there.

Frowning, Robin made his way to the door, eyes searching for any sign of the life that had disrupted him. A faint squeak alerted him to the floor.

Robin fingered the dagger strapped to his workout uniform, watching blankly as the little mouse scurried around his feet, gazing up at him with wide eyes.

It distantly reminded him of a green mouse he had once known…

The horrific shriek brought no feeling to Robin as he released the dagger from his hands, blood splattering against the cement floor.

He wasn't weak.

Loud beeps in his ear brought his consciousness back to the world around him.

"Robin," Slade growled over the communicator, sounding dark and angry, "You have a new mission for me."

"What is it?"

"Until now, we have merely been toying with the Titans…" There was a ominous pause. "I want them dead. All of them. Especially their new leader. You will do whatever it takes."

Robin nodded, a sharp pain that he didn't quite understand filling his chest. Ignoring it, he stared icily at the figure returning his gaze in the mirror.

"Understood."

He wasn't weak.

"And Robin?" Slade's voice now held a dangerous warning. "Don't fail me again."

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

On the other side of the door, Terra held back a gasp at Robin's newest set of orders, covering her mouth with her hand. She glanced fearfully down at the poor little mouse that had provided cover for her when she'd accidentally scuffed the floor while spying on him.

Moving as slowly as possible towards the staircase, Terra broke into a run as soon as she was sure she couldn't be heard.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

"He's going to kill you!" Terra shouted as soon as she stepped into Titan Tower, growing angry with the skeptical glances she was being thrown.

"Slade's been trying that shit for ages and it still hasn't worked," Cyborg replied in irritation, still not happy with the random appearances of Terra. "Don't think this time will be any different."

"No! Robin!" she tried again, looking to Raven for support. Raven merely shrugged.

"He wouldn't. He tried to kill Speedy and failed. It'll be the same for us."

"But he's different!" Terra retorted desperately, "I saw him today! He…he doesn't care anymore! It's like he snapped!"

"Robin will always care!" Starfire inserted angrily, standing from her spot on the couch. "He will always care about us, even if he has the evil washing of the brain!"

"But-"

"How do we even know we can trust you? I've had about enough of you acting like since we let you back in the Tower, you're a part of the team again," Cyborg hiss. "Maybe this is all a part of Slade's plan, to get us worked up over nothing and then hit us when we finally relax."

"No! This is real!"

"And why do you even care? Are you hoping that if you help us save the world and defeat Slade, we'll welcome you back with open arms?"

"I-" Terra snapped her mouth shut, trying to force down the flush that threatened to cover her entire being. Cyborg had hit it right on the mark. That had been _exactly_ what she had been hoping for.

But she also cared about them. They had been the only friends she'd ever had and even if they wanted nothing to do with her, she still couldn't help but care. Why couldn't they see that? Why were they so _stubborn_? She growled.

"I…fine! Get sliced into a million pieces!" she shouted, stomping her foot in anger. "No skin off my back!" Whirling around, Terra stormed out nearly as fast as she had run in, mumbling curses beneath her breath.

It was all she could do to hope that Raven had been right when she had said that Robin-

"Terra."

She froze at the voice, a strange tightening sensation reaching her chest. Turning slowly, Terra brought her gaze to Beast Boy's.

"What do you want? Come to tell me how I shouldn't come back with anymore lies?"

There seemed to be a great battle going on inside of Beast Boy, but his eyes were filled with a determination she had never seen before.

"I…believe you," he said at last, straightening himself to stand at his full height. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Terra noticed that Beast Boy had grown taller than her since the last time they had really been together, filling out with the muscles he had lacked before. The changes had also been accompanied by a deeper voice and more defined facial features. Not for the first time, Terra wondered if she even knew this boy - no, this _man_ - standing before her.

Blushing, Terra mentally kicked herself. Now was not the time.

"You believe me?" she returned skeptically, keeping her gaze anywhere but on the changeling.

"As much as it hurts to say so, we do," another voice added. Terra's eyes widened as she took in the sight of Speedy standing assuredly next to Beast Boy. His eyes were filled with the same conviction as his teammate.

"We know Robin, we know what he's capable of. The others haven't been as hurt by this as much as we have. They still want to see behind their rose-colored glasses."

Ignoring the pain in her chest when Speedy included Beast Boy in his mention of victims, she bit her lip and looked down, not quite sure what to think.

"So…you're going to protect the others?" she wondered. She looked up when she heard Speedy sigh.

"They're not going to accept it if they don't want it."

"So we're going to protect you instead," Beast Boy added, taking a step forward, suddenly looking dangerous. He let out a growl, staring at a point over Terra's shoulder. Speedy looked at him in confusion.

"Help me?" She took several steps back, feeling afraid. "How? I'm not the one who needs it."

"At the moment? Yes, you are," Beast Boy hissed, abruptly morphing into a wolf and leaping towards Terra. The girl cried out and tried to run, whimpering as she fell to the ground beneath the beast. A familiar whirring sound piercing the air overhead, however, silenced her pleas.

Beast Boy had been saving her.

The fear came back when she realized who he had been saving her from.

"I always knew you were weak," Robin's voice echoed darkly throughout the surrounding forest.

"Leave her alone," Beast Boy snarled as soon as he had changed back into his human form. Terra closed her eyes and screamed in her head for Beast Boy to run and forget about her. Selfishness, however, prevented the words from coming out. She wanted Beast Boy to stay, to protect her. To hold her like he was doing now.

She winced as tears began to form behind her closed lids. God, she was worthless.

"Once a traitor, always a traitor." Stepping out of the shadows, Robin stalked towards them with a severity they had never seen in him before. Reaching into his belt, he pulled out what looked to be a small remote control. Speedy frowned, momentarily dropping his guard.

"What are you-" He paused when he noticed that Robin's eyes weren't on them, but on the Tower. Crying out in understanding, he turned just in time to witness Robin's finger press down on a green button. "DON'T-"

"They should have listened to her."

The explosion came without warning - an immense heat followed by a deafening roar. Speedy threw himself atop his fallen comrades, closing his eyes and bracing himself for the coming onslaught of burning debris. He felt a slight jerk, heard a soft "oof!" from beneath, and the pain never came. Snapping open his eyes, Speedy found himself staring into Terra's frightened eyes, a great shadow looming above them. Speedy looked over his shoulder, eyes widening at the giant sea turtle that stood protecting them.

Letting out a painful moan, Beast Boy struggled to keep himself standing. It wasn't until the last ember scorched his shell that he finally allowed himself to return back to human form, collapsing on top of Speedy in exhaustion.

"We need to get out of here…" Speedy hissed, gently moving Beast Boy's limp figure to the ground beside them. He looked expectantly at Terra.

"Right." She nodded, a golden glow surrounding her as the earth they knelt on cracked, shifting so that it could be removed from the earth.

"Watch out!" Speedy shouted suddenly, diving on top of Terra as he let out a cry of pain. Cursing, Speedy brought his hand to his side, yanking out the bladed birdarang weakly. Swaying with sudden dizziness, he glanced at the blades, noticing with confusion the green powder they were coated with.

"Poison!" Terra shrieked, helping him sit up in a panic. Speedy blinked at her in uncertainty, his mind becoming hazy. He could see Terra's mouth moving, but there weren't any words coming out.

"Speedy!" Terra couldn't keep the fear out of her voice as the archer's eyes grew glassy and dim. A twig cracked nearby and Terra's head shot up, paling as she watched Robin draw near.

She had never been more afraid of him.

"Robin, please…" she begged, on the verge of tears. His silence chilled her bones.

In one last effort, Terra focused all of her powers into digging up the earth around them, creating a violent dust storm. Gathering both Beast Boy and Speedy near, she finished what she had started, breaking the slab of rock free from the ground as she guided the piece of earth into the air.

"If only I could get us past those pines…" she whimpered, finding their source of temporary salvation. Glancing below at the ground, she let out a gasp when she realized Robin was no longer there. Whirling around, her eyes scanned the surrounding area.

"Robin…" There was a hissing sound and Terra nearly missed the sight of the exploding disc soaring towards them. Hastily, she tried to maneuver herself out of range, failing as the disc caught the corner of the rock.

"SPEEDY!" she screamed as the impact caused the unconscious Titan to slip from the boulder and plummet to the ground. Holding Beast Boy's limp form close, she dived down in a desperate attempt to save the archer.

The next exploding disc caught her unaware.

Pain enflamed her body for the briefest of instants, searing her skin and burning her insides. A flash of green passed before her line of vision and she heard the wind howl.

Then, consciousness left her.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo**

Speedy groaned as he shifted in his position against the wall, wincing at the sharp pain that sparked from his side whenever he moved. He tried to reach for the wound to give some comfort, frowning when he realized he couldn't.

"What…?" Groggily, he opened his eyes, succumbing to the wave of dizziness that fell over him. "Jesus…" When he felt that the spell had passed, he gingerly sat up, eyes carefully evaluating the situation.

He was chained to the wall of what looked to be an abandoned prison cell; blood splattered against the walls and floor, causing bile to rise up his throat. He grunted and struggled to pull free from his binds, knowing full well in the back of his thoughts that it was in vain

The slamming of a door a few rooms off caused Speedy to freeze, listening for any other sort of life through the silence. His stomach dropped as he heard the soft sounds of footsteps approaching.

Someone was coming.

* * *

TBC

* * *


End file.
